HOOK AND FUR By Bob Brown Fishing news here and there: " It appears the word is out that catching northern pikeminnows can mean cash in the back pocket. The word must be out, because angler pressure targeting northern pikeminnows has been heavy on the Columbia and Snake rivers since the May 1 opening of the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) northern pikeminnow sport-reward fishery. Last week, 2,011 anglers caught 15,075 pikeminnows and since the fishery opener a total of 17,150 pikes have been caught. The Dalles was the top producer of pikminnows last week where 481 anglers caught 7,523 fish. Fishing at Columbia Point was also good where 241 anglers caught 1,883 pikes and Giles French and Chinook Landing together produced a total catch of 1,497 pikeminnows. This year's 2016 Northern Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Fishery appears to be off to a good start and is expected to remain that way throughout the season. BPA pays $5 each for the first 25 pikeminnows caught and $6 each for 26-200 pikes caught and $8 each for 201 and up caught. BPA also pays $500 for each tagged fish landed. There were eight tagged fish caught last week. " A three-day spring chinook fishery opened on the Columbia from the Tongue Point/Rocky Point line upriver to the Washington/Oregon state line last weekend. Fishing for hatchery steelhead and shad was also open. During the three-day fishery the mouth of the Lewis River was closed to protect the rivers spring chinook. Ron Roler, fishery manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), said representatives from Oregon and Washington will meet this week to determine whether to allow any additional days for fishing. That decision will be based on periodic updates of the number of spring chinook crossing Bonneville Dam. " Joe Hymer of the WDFW reported fishing on the Cowlitz River didn't change from the previous week. It is still hot and heavy for spring chinook and steelhead throughout the river. Last week, Tacoma Power recovered 395 winter steelhead, 17 summer steelhead, 1,358 spring chinook, 91 jacks and one cutthroat trout. Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery's spring chinook return as of May 7 was 6,819 adults, including 48 natural origins. Flows have been running in the 6,000 cubic feet per second with a visibility of seven feet.
Sea lion capture-and-kill claimed 47 in April
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has reported Washington and Idaho killed 47 California sea lions during the month of April. Fourteen sea lions were also added to the watch list. This is the fifth year that wildlife departments have turned to capture-and-kill techniques to help solve the problem created when pinnipeds lie in wait for spring chinook arriving at Bonneville Dam. This is not a new program to rid the river of sea lions. The Oregon department and WDFW have been capturing and killing California sea lions since 2012 when they along with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game received a letter of authorization from NOAA Fisheries to begin removing and killing sea lions. Since then the agencies have removed 100 California sea lions from the area just below Bonneville Dam. The states estimate that since the program began, the removals have prevented the loss of 15,000 to 200,000 salmon and steelhead.
Bob Brown lives in Roy and is a freelance outdoors writer. He can be reached at robertb1285@centurylink.net
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